Amherst ( AM-hərst) is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, United States. It is located 28 miles (45 km) west of Cleveland within the Cleveland metropolitan area. The population was 12,681 at the 2020 census.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Amherst ranks

All →

#116Fewest uninsured in OH #57Most new homes in OH #169Lowest obesity in OH All OH rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code44001

Area codeSign in to add

Living in Amherst

Housing in Amherst

$260K Median sale price · Redfin, May 2026

The median sale price was $260,000 in May 2026.

A strong seller's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market42

Sale-to-list98.6%

Sold in May14

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Amherst

B⁺

Safety Grade B+

Amherst reports less crime per resident than 65% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.

Violent crime per 1,000

Amherst 0.6

Ohio 2.9

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Amherst 9.2

Ohio 14.7

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Work & commute in Amherst

Full picture →

Most working residents leave Amherst for work: only 10% work in town. The top destinations are Cleveland (11%), Elyria (9%) and Lorain (9%). Half commute less than 16 miles.

Cleveland

11%

Elyria

Lorain

Westlake

10%Work in townlive and work in Amherst 16 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 4,875Jobs based herebalanced

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Amherst →

Health in Amherst

B⁺

Health Grade B+

Healthier than 67% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.

Compared with Ohio

11better than OH·1worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 20 are too close to call.

Conditions 1▲ 1▼ 10 close Habits 1▲ 3 close Care 4▲ 3 close Mind 1▲ 4 close Everyday needs 4▲ 0 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

8.8%Fewer adults facing food insecurityOH 14.1% · better 5.4%Fewer adults facing a utility shut-offOH 8.3% · better 10.8%More adults who have had cancerOH 8.7% · worse

Care nearby

Mercy Regional Medical CenterLorain · 2.2 mi · ER

Lorain County Health & DentistryLorain · 5 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careNo shortage

DentalNo shortage

Mental healthNo shortage

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Amherst · CMS · HRSAHealth in Amherst →

Natural hazards in Amherst

Low

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 21% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🌪️ Tornadoes🥶 Cold waves

6Does Amherst flood?paid flood claims since 1978 1Disasters that paid out herefederal disaster sent FEMA money to Amherst MapAmherst vs. its neighborsnearby towns shaded by rating

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Amherst →

Climate in Amherst

Full climate →

Amherst has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 21°, and about 44 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

36° / 24°Winter

57° / 40°Spring

80° / 63°Summer

62° / 46°Fall

How much snow does Amherst get?About 44 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Oct 24, with the last in spring around Apr 24.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+1.0° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Amherst →

Schools in Amherst

All Amherst schools →

A⁻

School Grade A-

The public schools Amherst’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 81% of Ohio’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.

#202Best public schoolsof 621 in OH

DistrictAmherst Exempted VillageSchools5

Powers Elementary School B+Elementary · Grades PK–3 · 1,104 students Walter G. Nord Middle School A-Elementary · Grades 4–5 · 556 students St. Joseph Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades PK–8 · 235 students Amherst Junior High School B+Middle · Grades 6–8 · 859 students Marion L Steele High School B+High · Grades 9–12 · 1,014 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within OH. Ratings are from neighbors.